The All India Football Federation (AIFF), along with its commercial and marketing partner IMG-Reliance, today presented a 360 degree plan of football development in India with a common vision of the country participating in the 2026 World Cup.
"Reliance Industries is donating its township facility in Vadodara free of cost for setting up a national academy at par with the best in the world," a source in the know of things, told PTI.
The AIFF's commercial partner is in touch with an international group that specialises in setting up world class football academies and running them.
"They are seeking partnership with international group with proven record to ensure high-quality coaching. The academies set up by this group have produced many world class players," the source said.
The township already has four-five football grounds and according to the IMG-Reliance group, building an academy there would be easy.
Besides setting up the academy, both the AIFF and IMG-Reliance are working towards refurbishing the existing stadiums. Discussions are in progress with state associations to push for stadium refurbishments.
"There are groups who have been visiting all the stadiums. Right from seating arrangement to playing fields, everything would be taken care of," the source said.
As far as the academy is concerned, the goal is to have 80 per cent of national team players from the academy within the next 10 years.
